There’s something about being “hyper-colourful” that draws you in and makes you dial out…

Over The Moon which is now on Netflix is a supremely colourful affair that is trying to give an international spin on the classic Disney musical and it only sort of works…

Fueled with determination and a passion for science, a bright young girl builds a rocket ship to the moon to prove the existence of a legendary Moon Goddess. There she ends up on an unexpected quest, and discovers a whimsical land of fantastical creatures.

I hate to say it, but this movie kind of screams “wanna be” because while it’s undoubtedly fun with catchy songs and a strong story for the entire family, Over The Moon plays a little too much in the soft edges trying to make something that everyone will enjoy which just ends up being something that no one will be bored with.

Co-Directors Glen Keane and John Karhs are veterans of the animation game and with the up and coming Pearl Studio out of China there’s no denying that this plays very well to the foreign markets given the over the top and inclusive nature of the story which all looks good and eye popping for anyone under the age of 5.  However, with that being said where this fails is in the script, written by the late Audrey Wells with additional work added, it’s a nice little story about learning to move on from tragedy and appreciate new family when they come into your lives, but it’s all very soft to the point of feeling gooey.

With a second act that is crammed with musical numbers we kind of stop caring about the adventure that this young girl is on.  It’s fine…but it all lies completely on the surface and to be perfectly blunt, kids will want to watch this for the eye popping visuals rather than any context inside the narrative.  Even the music is a little to syrupy and pleasant, there isn’t an “Into The Unknown” kind of ballad that really stands out to have kids singing for days.

There’s a strong voice cast as you’ll recognize the likes of Ken Jeong, Margaret Cho and John Cho providing some voices as the supporting ensemble as young Cathy Ang provides a plucky young heroine for audiences to get behind, especially young girls who don’t fit that typical Disney princess mold and they’ll have someone to get behind and look up to, which at the end of the day is the most important thing in a movie like this.

While Over The Moon isn’t going to move the needle as far as animated features go, it’s still a pleasant enough diversion to keep the kids distracted…but for any adults tempted to watch along…I’d maybe read a book instead.